Rack



Ap 18, 1944.. c. F. RAUEN ET'AL RACK Filed A aril 14, 1941 6, ZlNjigNTOR5. MW

Patented Apr. 18, 1944 was STATES. AT-ENT OFFICE RACK Carl F. Raucn,Grosse Pointe, and Gladys Forhan, Detroit, Mich.

Application April 14, 1941 Serial No. 388,490

2 Claims.

This invention relates to racks and has particular reference to a smallconvenient sized rack adapted for general utiliity for holding articlessuch as a book, a newspaper, clippings, cards or a sheet of paper insuch a manner that printed material thereon is visible to an observerlooking downwardly or forwardly thereat.

A principal object of this invention is to provide a device of thischaracter which is more useful and more dependable than devices of thischaracter heretofore available.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rack of the characterdescribed which is constructed and arranged in such a manner thatarticles varying in thickness from a single sheet of paper to a book,and articles as large as a folded newspaper may be arranged thereon sothat the printed matter on such articles may be read by an observereither sitting or standing in front of the device.

A device embodying the invention is particularly useful for holdingrecipes, booklets, clippings, newspapers, memoranda and books in such aposition that the printed matter thereon may be conveniently read, thedevice being constructed and arranged in such a fashion that it can beset up on a table, counter or other surface wherever desired and so thatit requires only a relatively small amount of space.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from aconsideration of the following specification taken in conjunction withthe accompanying drawing of which there is one sheet and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one form of device embodying theinvention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 2-2 of Fig.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevational view and Fig. 4 is a section along the line44 of Fig. l. I

As illustrated, a rack embodying a preferred form of the inventionconsists of a frame member II], a leg I2 and a clamping or securingspring I4. The frame member ID, as illustrated, may be formed ofplastic, sheet metal or any other suitable material and is adapted tostand upon a surface I6 such as the top of a table. The frame member IDprovides a supporting surface for an article of the nature hereinbeforereferred to and is of such extent in both directions that it willsupport a folded newspaper, open book or sheet of paper.

The leg I2 may consist of a piece of wire bent as illustrated andpivotally secured to the rear face of the frame member ID by bracketsI8, the

brackets I8 being welded or otherwise suitably secured to the framemember ID so as to provide a pivotal mounting for the leg I2. Parts 20of the leg extend upwardly above the pivotal connection between the legI2 and the frame member ID so as to provide a stop for the leg I2 sothat when the same is opened the frame member Ill will be supported inthe position as illustrated in Figs; land a The securing or clampingspring It comprises 'a spring steel Wire which is bent as illustrated soas to provide a portion 22, bowed-out portions 24, coils'26 and portions28. The portions 28. are formed as illustrated in Fig. 4 and are eachadapted to fit into and cooperate with complementally formed portions ofthe frame member Ill defined by the slots 30 for mounting the spring I4upon the frame member Ill. The coils 26 are formed about an axistransverse to the line of movement of the portion 22 so as to provide asort of a. pivotal connection between the main part of the spring I4 andthe connection between the spring I4 and the frame member I6. That part28' of the spring I4 adjacent and above the coils 2B is adapted toprovide seats for articles clamped to the surface of the frame member Itand the bowed-out portion 24 of the spring is provided so as toaccommodate such articles between the spring I4 and the surface of theplate Ill. As shown in the drawing, the portion 22 is contacting thesurface of the frame member ID and in operation is adapted to engage thesurface of an article and clamp the same against the surface of theframe member I0 in such a manner that printed matter on the article willbe visible to an observer looking forwardly or downwardly at thearticle. The coil 26 and the flexibility of the wire I4 are such as topermit the portion 22 to move away from the surface In to a range of atleast an inch and a half.

The device as shown in Fig. 2 is approximately three-quarter size. Thespring I4 is arranged so that there is sufiicient pressure between theportion 22 and the surface of the frame member ID to retain a singlesheet of paper against the surface of the frame member It and, ifdesired, the lower edges of the paper may be arranged so as to rest uponthe seats 28' provided on the spring I4 adjacent to the coils 26. Theportion 22 is, by virtue of the construction of the spring I4, capableof moving away from the surface Ill such a distance so as to support anopened book between the spring I4 and the surface ID, without giving aset to the spring.

The shape of the spring may be said to be wardly thereat comprising aframe member providing a laterally extending supporting surface, andmeans for retaining an article of the nature hereinbefore referred toupon said supporting surface comprising an inverted generally U- shapedspring wire secured to said frame memher, an intermediate part of saidwire at the up, per end thereof forming an apex which is biased intoengagement Withsaid frame member in or-' der to contact an article andremovably clamp the same to said surface of said frame member, saidframe member adjacent each of the lower corners thereof but spacedinwardly from the edges thereof being provided with a U-shaped slot withthe tongues formed thereby extending toward each other, each of the endsof said wire being bent so as to extend through one of said slots with aportion of said wire arranged behind and held in place by the tongue ofsaid one of said slots, said ends of said wire being biased away fromeach other so as to retain said wire in said slots and with saidportions behind said tongues, said spring wire being bowed away fromsaid frame member between said apex and the ends thereof.

2. A rack for holding articles such as a book, a newspaper, clippings, acard or sheet of paper in such a manner that printed matter thereon isvisible to an observer looking downwardly or forwardly thereatcomprising a frame member providing a laterally extending supportingsurface, means for supporting said member so that said surface isarranged upright and means for retaining an article of the naturehereinbefore referred to upon said supporting surface comprising acurved inverted U-shaped spring wire, the ends of which are secured tosaid frame member adjacent the lower corners thereof, an intermediateportion of said wire at the top thereof being formed to provide anupwardly projecting point which is biased toward said surface so as tocontact an article at a point spaced above the ends of said wire andremovably clamp said article to said surface of said frame member,horizontally spaced. parts of said spring wire adjacent the ends thereofbeing formed to provide spaced seats arranged laterally on each side ofsaid intermee diate portion for an article clamped thereby to saidsurface, said spring between each of said ends and said point thereofbeing curved away from and back toward said surface, said spring wireextending downwardly and outwardly from said point and away from saidsurface.

CARL F. RAUEN. GLADYS FORHAN;

